


What Makes a Family?

by Dessarious



Category: Batman - All Media Types, Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Adoption, BioDad!Bruce, Found Family, MariBat, Marinette is too tired to care, Multi, OOC, character ages subject to author whims, if DC can't pick a timeline I don't have to either, more tags to come, non-canon
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-30
Updated: 2021-02-21
Packaged: 2021-03-06 04:08:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 16
Words: 18,466
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25617139
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dessarious/pseuds/Dessarious
Summary: When Marinette's school takes part in a genealogy project that includes a DNA test she finds out that her parents aren't related to her. While annoyed that they never told her it doesn't change the fact that they are her parents and she's perfectly willing to let sleeping dogs lie.Across the ocean however the news is creating a huge fuss as her biological father finds out he has another child he knew nothing about. To make matters even more complicated she's related to one of his adopted children as well. So how do you tell a 17 year old girl that you're her father? Easy, send the butler.Cross posted on Tumblr @dessarious
Relationships: Luka Couffaine/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug/Kagami Tsurugi
Comments: 300
Kudos: 1849





	1. A Typical Day in the Life of Marinette

At seventeen Marinette had gotten very good at ignoring things. She ignored Lila and all the garbage the girl spouted. She ignored her classmate's insanity in not paying attention to what the girl said about Marinette, but believing everything else that came out of the liar's mouth. As Ladybug she ignored her partner's advances and all the people who kept telling her to give him a shot. He'd actually got Alya to help him set up a social media campaign in favor of it. So when she looked up to find her entire class looking at her with pity or concern she had no idea what was going on.

"Oh Marinette, I'm so sorry! I completely forgot the DNA test showed that you were adopted." Lila's insincere apology just made her roll her eyes and go back to sketching. 

"You didn't forget but it doesn't matter anyway. Whatever jab you're hoping to land isn't going to hit but feel free to keep going." Lila teared up and half the class ran to comfort her while the others seemed frozen in their seats. No one really knew what to do in this situation, and it had been happening more often as Marinette decided she just didn't care anymore. 

"That was uncalled for! You should apologize." Alya's stern tone just got another eye roll.

"That was a bit harsh dude." Poor Nino. Always caught in the middle with no real understanding what exactly he was in the middle of. Out of her peripheral Marinette could see Adrien giving her a disappointed look. Something else she'd gotten good at ignoring. 

Finding out he was Chat Noir hadn't been nearly as devastating as she would have thought. It actually made everything make a lot more sense. She didn't have much respect for him, but she did feel sorry for him. That more than anything was why she hadn't taken his Miraculous back. If she found Plagg's true holder all bets were off, but for now she left things the way they were. 

"Marinette, just because your birth parents didn't want you is no reason to take out your frustration on me." Oh Kwami, she was still going. It was kind of pathetic that she thought those words would hurt. Marinette put on a condescending smile.

"That's rather presumptuous. For all you know my birth parents could have died, or given me up to give me a chance at a better life. But for the sake of speeding this along let's assume you're right. There are plenty of parents out there that don't want their kids. Many keep them simply because they feel obligated or think it will look bad. They ignore or even abuse them because they're a reminder of the things they had to give up." The entire room had gone silent as she spoke and more than one person flinched. It wasn't her intention to make people feel bad about their own situations but maybe recognizing it would allow them to get help. "On the other hand my real parents, the people who raised me, not only want me, they chose me. They love me unconditionally and have always been there for me. I'd say I'm actually really lucky, wouldn't you? "

Just about everyone was shifting uncomfortably and avoiding eye contact. Lila was glaring at her and Marinette just gave her a bright smile before returning to her sketching. Sure the revelation that she wasn't biologically related to her parents had been surprising, but they'd talked it over and she understood why they didn't tell her. She'd been only a few months old when they found her on their doorstep with a note from her birth mother, and they'd wanted so desperately to have a child. That note was now carefully hidden in Marinette's room.

In class, the rest of her day went rather well. In between was another story.

"Girl I know Lila rubs you the wrong way but you can't just go after her like that. I know you saw the look Adrien gave you. Do you want to ruin your chances with him just so you can snark at Lila? It's not worth it and if you'd just get to know her I'm sure you'd be friends." Same stupid argument for over three years. She had Alya's lecture memorized at this point. Of course hers wasn't the only one.

"Mari, you know that going after Lila is just going to get her Akumatized. Not to mention what will happen to me if she complains to my father. Do you want him to ban me from seeing you? Or pull me out of school?" Same damn guilt trip for three years too. Yes, Adrien was in a crappy position but she was done with him acting like it was her fault or her responsibility. 

By the time she made it home she was ready to just be done with the day. As she trudged to her room the list of things she still needed to do ran through her head making her even more annoyed. When she opened the hatch to her room and saw Luka and Kagami sitting shoulder to shoulder on her chaise and holding hands she decided to be the drama queen Kagami liked to accuse her of being and face planted across both their laps.

"Rough day?" The only response she could manage to Luka's amused voice was an incomprehensible whine. She felt more than heard the pair of them laughing at her. 

“If you two aren’t nicer to me I’m revoking your snack privileges.” Her mumbled complaint just produced more muted laughter.

“Your dad will give us the entire bakery no matter what you say.” So what if Kagami was right? She could probably get her mom after them but her dad would still just find a way to sneak them food. She felt Kagami begin running fingers through her hair while Luka rubbed soothing circles on her back and she melted into them. Okay, maybe no snacks was a bit harsh.

“Do you want to talk about it?” Luka’s question caused her to groan. Same crap different day so there wasn’t really anything to talk about.

“No. I just want to stay here and pretend nothing outside this room exists for a while.” Luka started humming something that sounded like a lullaby as he continued to rub her back. Kagami started using both hands and gently used her nails to massage Marinette’s scalp. She loved them both so much even if she still couldn’t seem to pinpoint the moment they’d gone from three friends hanging out to three people in a relationship. Of course maybe that was why they worked so well together in the first place.

Marinette was moments from giving in to the pull of sleep when all of their phones went off. This time all three of them groaned.

“How bad is it?” Marinette felt Luka reach for his phone before he gave a sigh.

“It’s Lila again. We’d better head out before she comes here looking for you.” Great, not only did she have to deal with an Akumatized Lila she’d also have to deal with Adrien’s smug ‘I told you so’ in the morning. Maybe her parents would let her skip so she could finish some of her commissions. It was worth a try at least. She got up reluctantly and was met with worried looks from her partners and all the Kwami.

“I’m fine, just drained, I promise.” That didn’t seem to put any of them at ease. “Let’s go. The sooner we get there the sooner we can come back and make fun of whatever outfit and powers Hawkmoth gave her this time.” That at least got an eye roll out of Kagami and a gentle smile from Luka before all three transformed and headed off to save Paris, again.


	2. Parent Woes

Alfred waited until everyone was out of the kitchen before pulling a burner phone out of his pocket. All that was on it was one text; we need to talk.

Master Bruce had always been paranoid, but this specific phone had never been used. The man insisted on a way to contact Alfred that none of his family knew about, but he’d never found it necessary before. Whatever had prompted that text had to be serious. When he got to the man’s study, he didn’t even knock before entering.

“Lock the door please.” His voice was strained and Alfred began to wonder if he’d somehow missed signs of illness or even just more stress than normal. After the door was secure Bruce handed him a piece of paper. “You remember how after Damian showed up, I started monitoring DNA databases to try to avoid more surprises?”

Alfred just nodded as he read down through the paper. His shock at the content was well hidden since he didn’t want to add even more stress to the situation. For some reason all the Wayne’s seemed to think the world was ending if something happened he wasn’t prepared for.

“This is certainly strange. Have you looked into the girl at all?” Strange didn’t even cover it. With that genetic makeup they could easily be looking at another Damian and most of the house barely survived the first one.

“It’s rather hard to do an intensive search without Tim or Barbara finding out. All I really know is that she’s seventeen and a student in Paris. Alfred what should I do?” Bruce sounded like he was on the verge of panic. Only his kids had the ability to do that.

“Well, as you said, she is seventeen. It’s possible she may not even want to get to know you, or the family. I think the prudent thing to do would be make contact and see what she’s comfortable with.”

“That makes sense, but how? Sending a lawyer seems too impersonal and aggressive but if I go myself won’t that be pushy?” He started muttering to himself and Alfred just waited. Suddenly his eyes lit up. “You could go!”

“I bed your pardon?” Honestly he figured the man would settle on Master Richard given he was the least threatening. “If I leave while you’re all still here, chances of someone blowing up the house are incredibly high. Not to mention the maiming that is likely to occur.” Bruce thought for a moment and Alfred could see the moment he dismissed the objections.

“It won’t be that bad and you’re the perfect person to talk to her. As far as the public knows you’ve been with the family forever but aren’t part of it. Not to mention you’re most equipped to get a good read on her and see if we’ll need to monitor her actions.” Alfred wanted to argue with him. Unfortunately he was right. About him being the best person to send not about how they would fare in his absence.

“There will be conditions.” He watched Bruce blink at him in confusion. “First, everyone will be told I’m going on a long overdue vacation. Second, they will all sign agreements to stay out of the kitchen entirely as well as agreeing to no weapons outside the Batcave. That includes fire.” Bruce just nodded along like there wouldn’t be an issue. Alfred could already hear the objections. “Third, you will abide by the girl’s decision about contact and my decision about whether monitoring is required. No arguments.” Bruce looked more hesitant at that one, but still nodded. “And fourth, no one tells Damian about her unless she decides she wants to have contact with the family. I don’t trust him to not see her as a threat to his position, especially with her pedigree and the fact that she’s older.”

———————————————

As Ladybug watched Chat bound away, she was overcome with a feeling of time running out. She really hated her Guardian instincts at times like this. She knew something was going to happen but couldn’t pinpoint what or how severe it would be. Frustrating didn’t even begin to cover it.

“You look like you’re thinking deep thoughts Bug.” Wasp sauntered over and used her head to lean on. Chloe had hit a rather large growth spurt making her just over six foot tall. Ever since she tended to use Mari’s head as a resting place. It had annoyed her at first but given Chloe’s issues with affection she knew that physical contact of any kind was a compliment.

“I just can’t shake the feeling that none of this will end until there’s a true Black Cat holder. And I’m dreading what I’ll have to do once they show up.” Taking Adrien’s Miraculous would devastate him. As much as he annoyed her and as much as he was a liability she couldn’t bring herself to strip him of one of the few good things in his life. Not without it being necessary.

“You should do it when he turns eighteen regardless of whether you’ve found the true holder.” Ladybug looked at Wasp in surprise. “He’ll have to grow a pair and stand up to his father eventually. Once he turns eighteen his father can’t stop him from living the life he wants. He’s got plenty of money in his personal accounts and more than enough contacts to stay away from Gabriel. He needs to become his own person without this as a crutch. Otherwise he’ll just stay the same and never get out from under his father’s influence.” She hadn’t thought about it like that, but Wasp was right. Adrien hadn’t matured at all since she’d known him. He had no reason to. It still wasn’t something she was looking forward to.

“So how’s the new school?” Wasp wrinkled her nose in annoyance and Ladybug laughed. Her father had decided to throw her into a private school that specialized in getting their kids into the most prestigious universities. He was dead set on Chloe going to the best business school he could find. Chloe was less than thrilled.

“I called the principal a fascist neandertal and almost got expelled.” That didn’t sound like her.

“Almost? What went wrong?” Wasp sighed.

“Daddy called and threatened to stop any type of permits they needed for improvements or new construction and launch an investigation into their finances if they did. Having that kind of pull at my disposal was great before, but now he’s using it against me. Given how quickly they caved when he mentioned auditing their finances I don’t even think it’s possible to get thrown out now.”

“Did you tell him what you actually want to do?”

“He just laughed, like it was all a big joke.” Ladybug reached over and squeezed her hand.

“Chat’s not the only one turning eighteen soon. In the meantime, you can hide at my house more often. You know my parents love teaching you how to cook and bake.” That got a small smile at least.

“I appreciate that. I just wish…” Rather than finish the thought, she turned abruptly and headed out. Ladybug just let out a sigh. She couldn’t even imagine having parents so against what you wanted to do with your life. Granted, she wouldn’t have expected Chloe’s dream to be becoming a chef, but it was her dream and given her taste and attention to detail, she’d probably be fantastic at it. Neither one of her parents would even entertain the thought.

“Everything alright?” Viperion’s question brought her back to the present and she nodded.

“Same as always. Let’s go home.” Home was always her house. Kagami’s mother made her home untenable for them and Luka was reluctant to be open with their relationship around his sister while she was still friends with Lila. He didn’t want to make things harder on them. As she led her partners through the now quiet streets of Paris, she got a new feeling. Something big was coming. Good or bad, she had absolutely no clue.


	3. Bluntness and Confusion

Her attempts to get her parents to excuse her from school failed miserably. They were well aware she didn’t have any urgent commissions, so she trudged to school, hoping she’d make it to class without seeing Adrien or Alya. She didn’t make it inside the gate.

“Did you see the news?” What did he do, leave the house early to lay in wait for her?

“Good morning to you too Adrien.”

“Lila was Akumatized, just like I told you she would be.” She did not have enough caffeine in her system to deal with this right now.

“Yeah, five hours later. Not to mention Lila gets Akumatized every other week whether or not I’m around. Everyone else goes to therapy or finds an outlet to control their emotions, but she feeds off of it. That’s not my fault.” Adrien just blinked at her in shock and she used his confusion to move around him and head into school. She was almost to the front doors.

“Marinette, can I talk to you for a minute?” Ivan was standing off to the side, looking nervous. Well that wasn’t something she expected.

“Sure, what’s up?” She walked closer since he seemed rooted to his spot. He had to take a couple breaths before speaking.

“I… I just wanted to thank you for what you said yesterday.” She cocked her head at him in confusion. “About parents not wanting their children and treating them badly because of it. I realized that a lot of the things my dad lashed out at me for weren’t my fault and I told him last night I wouldn’t take any more of his shit.”

“Wow, umm, I’m glad it helped.” He gave her a pained smile.

“He kicked me out.”

“Oh, Ivan! I’m so sorry!” He waved her off.

“It’s okay. Mylene’s dad said I could crash on their couch until I figure something else out. It’s strange being in a house where I’m not getting yelled at all the time, but it’s nice.” She had no idea his home was like that. Ivan was always so quiet and let everyone else talk about themselves. How do you know someone for years and not see something so important?

“I’m really sorry that you’ve had to deal with that all this time. If you need any help, with anything, let me know okay?” He just gave her a smile, patted her shoulder, and walked into the school. She really needed more caffeine.

“Girl, we need to talk.” Marinette actually groaned out loud. She didn’t mean to, she just couldn’t help it. “Don’t give me attitude when I’m trying to help you.” She turned to find Alya glaring at her with her hands on her hips.

“Help me with what exactly?” Given the look she was getting, Alya thought she was being flippant, but honestly she wanted to know.

“You need to make peace with Lila. I know Adrien has been on you about it lately. Don’t you want to do something to impress him?” She was so tired of this conversation.

“No.” Alya opened her mouth but Marinette just kept going. “I’m going to try and explain this to you, again, and this time you’re going to listen. I am not interested in Adrien anymore. I haven’t been for years. You would know that if you ever bothered to listen to me rather than lecture me about Lila. And as for Lila, the only way we’ll be friends is if she has a complete personality change or I get hit in the head hard enough to lose my memories. Because as long as she keeps lying and I know that she is, we can’t be friends.” Alya rolled her eyes.

“I can’t believe you’re still using that as an excuse. Name one thing Lila lied about.” Marinette just shot her a flat look.

“Just about everything that comes out of her mouth. Honestly, how many times has she spun some story about how I cornered her in a hallway to yell at her? You never believe that, yet you still believe all her wild stories. If anyone else told you that garbage you’d fact check it. I don’t understand why you just assume she’s telling you the truth.” Alya was frowning but it looked more like it was directed internally. Maybe she was finally ready to think for herself. “Also, I’ve been in a relationship for almost a year now.”

Marinette practically ran into the school after that parting shot. She shouldn’t have said it and she knew Alya would find her later to question her, but she hoped that it would help her realize Marinette didn’t care what Adrien thought about her. At least no more than anyone else. Surprisingly, the rest of the school day went really well. Lila seemed subdued. She had no idea why but it made her life easier so she didn’t feel like questioning it. Alya honestly just seemed shellshocked. Adrien was sulking. Maybe she should be that blunt more often.

When she got home, the bakery was closed. She just stood there blinking at the doors for a moment. She pulled her phone out. No texts or missed calls. It wasn’t a holiday. Did her parents have an appointment she’d forgotten about? That feeling of something huge happening hit her again, far more powerful this time. Before she even knew what she was doing, she ran to the side door and up into the house.

“Maman! Papa!” She burst through the door and stopped in confusion. Her parents were there. Kagami, Luka, and Chloe were there. Relief hit her hard and it took her a moment to notice the older gentleman in the room. “What’s going on?” Both of her parents looked worried. Chloe was just glaring at the stranger. Luka and Kagami had been sitting hip to hip but scooted apart slightly so that she could sit between them. Well that couldn’t be good. “Is someone dying?”

That seemed to break some of the tension. Chloe let out a snort of laughter and her parents seemed slightly less tense. The gentleman was studying her and it felt… normal? That didn’t seem exactly right but he wasn’t making her uncomfortable.

“No sweetheart. Everyone is fine as far as we know.” Her Papa’s gentle voice released all her remaining worry. At the same time, no one seemed to know how to continue. Finally the older gentleman stood to address her.

“Miss Marinette. My name is Alfred Pennyworth. It’s very nice to meet you.”


	4. Chapter 4

“It’s, umm, nice to meet you too?” She didn’t really mean to make that a question. She didn’t get any bad feelings from the man, but everyone else in the room was looking at him like he was Hawkmoth.

“Perhaps I should speak to Miss Marinette alone.” Marinette actually flinched back from the overwhelming anger coming off the other’s in the room.

“Absolutely not. We’re not going to let you pressure her into anything.” Her Maman’s voice was like steel. What the hell was going on?

“Please, everyone, calm down. I don’t know what’s going on but it’s not something that I want anyone Akumatized over. Sir, whatever you have to say to me can be said in front of everyone here. I have no secrets from the people in this room.” Her parents had caught her detransforming six months ago. Oops. Granted it had relieved a lot of stress. “Why don’t we all calm down and sit?” The thought of being Akumatized seemed to dissolve a lot of the negative feelings in the room. M. Pennyworth just sat calmly, seemingly completely at ease. Her parents were still glaring at him. It was very odd to see her father glare. She could also feel sadness, worry, and hurt coming off of him in waves. She walked up behind him and wrapped her arms around his neck.

“Everything will be fine Papa.” He gave her a strained smile and kissed her cheek.

“I love you sweetheart, and we’ll support you no matter what you decide.” She frowned at him in confusion. Decide? She looked around the room trying to gather some idea of what they knew that she didn’t. Chloe’s hostility towards the man said she knew him, or at least knew of him.

“Chloe, your mom’s not offering another internship is she?” It would explain a lot. Her parents would be worried she’d be leaving, Chloe would be beyond pissed her mother was trying to force Marinette into an job she had turned down, multiple times. Luka and Kagami though… they were worried about her too, and they wouldn’t be if it was just that. They knew she had no interest. Chloe let out a scoff.

“No, I think you sufficiently insulted her the last time by telling her that you weren’t going to entertain working for someone who couldn’t be bothered to remember the name she gave her progeny, let alone her staff.” She shared a smile with the other girl and noticed M. Pennyworth studying her. For all he seemed completely composed and collected he was very invested in her and how she interacted with the world around her. Well, she may as well give him what he was looking for. She offered her father one last comforting squeeze. As she passed her mother she ran a finger over Sabine’s earring as a reminder that Marinette wasn’t going anywhere. It loosened some of the tension in her shoulders. When she got to Chloe they just shared a look. The clear warning in the other girl’s eyes said this man was dangerous in her social circles. Great. Then she got to the couch her partners were sitting on.

She gave them a mischievous smile. Luka returned it, but Kagami just looked exasperated. She decided to start with Luka. When she leaned down to kiss him, his smile widened. The kiss was short but obviously not just friendly. When she pulled back, he brushed some hair behind her ear.

“How was your day my Melody?”

“Not bad. I helped someone and managed to back down the wolves for the day.” She turned and kissed Kagami the same way. This time when she pulled back she got an eye roll.

“Bit theatrical, don’t you think?” Kagami barely spoke loudly enough for her to hear. Marinette gave her a cheeky grin.

“That’s the point.” She sat between them holding their hands before turning a full wattage smile on their guest. “What is it you wish to speak to me about M. Pennyworth?” The man had a small smile on his face.

“Please Miss, call me Alfred. I work for your Biological father. He sent me to speak to you.” Marinette felt all expression leave her face. Kagami and Luka both squeezed her hands to help ground her. They’d talked about looking for her birth parents. The note her mother left made it very clear she thought Marinette would be in danger if anyone connected her to either of her parents. She’d decided to wait, at least until Hawkmoth was dealt with. She wasn’t prepared for this.

“And why this sudden interest in me?” Her tone was flat, cold even, but she couldn’t help it. She didn’t do well with surprises, and she’d barely had time to process that she had other parents out there, let alone what to do about it. The man’s expression softened considerably.

“Master Bruce didn’t even know about you until that DNA test hit the system. He sent me to talk to you because he didn’t want to overwhelm you and wanted to give you the choice of whether or not you wanted contact with him. If he had known, he would have done everything in his power to be a part of your life but given your age he felt it would be an intrusion to simply show up without warning. He respects the fact that you’ve lived your entire life without him, but he would like the chance to get to know you at least. But it is your decision, and he will respect whatever you choose.”

Marinette felt so lost. She looked to her parents and suddenly understood why they were so worried. They thought they were going to lose her. Were worried that some rich man was going to take their baby. She couldn’t even begin to process what this development meant for all of them, but she couldn’t just sit there while they were in so much pain. Before she even processed it she was across the room hugging them both.

“You are my Maman and Papa. Nothing will ever change that. Love is all you need to make a family and I love you both so much.” She finally felt their tension go away and held on as her Papa cried into her shoulder. They’d probably been worried about this her whole life. Waiting for her one of her birth parents to show up and take her away. Even if it wasn’t likely, she was sure the fear had been hanging over them all this time.


	5. Chapter 5

Alfred wouldn’t say he was confused exactly, but Miss Marinette Dupain-Cheng was nothing like he expected. Both he and Bruce had been afraid of another Damian but from the second he’d informed her parents of who he was and why he was there it was rather obvious they’d dodged that bullet. Madam Cheng had shown him into the apartment to wait while her husband closed the bakery. Within ten minutes he had five people glaring at him, threatening severe consequences if he hurt Marinette in any way. Honestly he was expecting some fragile waif.

The girl had run into the room in a panic but her posture said she was ready to fight. Not to mention that the others deferred to her, even her parents. Yes, they were still protective and supportive, but there was no doubt the girl was the one in charge. That was… worrisome. If not for the obvious way she nurtured the others he’d be worried she was a psychopath considering the obvious control she had over the others. It was reminiscent of a cult leader. Watching her with her parents though, it was obvious her emotions were real. It was both a relief and one more thing to look into.

“So you expect us to believe that one of the richest men in the world is just going to defer to the judgement of a seventeen year old girl? Or were you just sent here to get an NDA signed?” Miss Bourgeois’s hostility was far more obvious than the others but they were all watching him with suspicion. “The only thing I don’t get is why he sent a butler instead of a lawyer.” That caused Miss Marinette to turn around and pin the girl with a stern look.

“Chloe, perhaps you could tone down the bitch factor for the time being. Even if he was sent here with less than honorable intentions, he shouldn’t be the target of your aggression.” He watched the two girls stare each other down before Miss Chloe huffed and backed down. Interesting. He hadn’t had much time to research yet so all these interactions were his first impression. Miss Marinette appeared to be best friends with the daughter of the Mayor of Paris and the Style Queen, and was able to back her down. She was dating an Olympic class fencer and M. Couffaine who looked familiar as well but he wasn’t certain from where. She had gained a fierce loyalty from all of them that seemed far more appropriate for soldiers than teenagers.

“It’s perfectly fine Miss Marinette. It’s actually a relief to know you have people around you that are familiar with the politics and pitfalls you may be thrust into. Whether you choose to have contact with Master Bruce or not, information like this tends to find its way into the media. If that happens your life is likely to get far more complicated.” The girl’s expression turned into a sardonic smile while the others simply chuckled.

“I appreciate your concern Monsieur, however misplaced it may be.” There was apparently a lot of information he was missing. “So who exactly is your employer?”

“Bruce Wayne.” He didn’t see any recognition on the girls face and she turned to Miss Chloe with a questioning look.

“Mari, you really need to pay attention to something besides fashion once in a while. Bruce Wayne as in Wayne Enterprises.” Still nothing. Chloe rolled her eyes and Miss Marinette looked to Miss Kagami.

“World wide business conglomerate that has a hand in just about everything. You know that new material you found that’s ridiculously durable?” Her expression lit up at that.

“Yes! It’s so strong and wears so well but it’s still lightweight and comfortable-”

“Focus Melody.” M. Couffaine’s voice was filled with laughter and the others were sharing amused looks. Miss Marinette stopped with a slight blush and sheepish expression. She turned back to look at Alfred.

“And Chloe said you’re his butler?” There were obviously quite a few questions in that sentence and he decided it would be better to answer most of them now.

“Yes Miss. I’ve been with the family a long time. Master Bruce’s parents are actually the ones that hired me. When they died I became Master Bruce’s guardian. I know the family better than anyone else and we felt it would be less intimidating for you if I came. I’m also the best person to answer any questions or address any concerns you may have.” She was frowning in thought but when she spoke it wasn’t anything he expected.

“How old was he when his parents died?”

“He was eight Miss.” He answered on reflex and it made her frown deepen.

“So you basically raised him.” Alfred just nodded. He watched Miss Marinette as her face went from concentration to a bright smile. “Which makes you more his father than his butler. That means you’re basically my grandfather.” He blinked at her, not quite understanding where she was going with this.

“I suppose some people could see it that way Miss.” Her smile became blinding.

“I’m going to call you Grandpa Alfie, and you should call me Mari.” He had no idea how to respond to that declaration. As his silence lasted her expression became uncertain and he watched her go from a bright, confidant woman to a shy, insecure child. “If that’s okay with you I mean.” Her voice had become hesitant and it seemed like she was expecting to be yelled at. Suddenly the protective nature of the people around them made a lot more sense. He finally cleared his throat to respond.

“It would be an honor if you wished to call me Grandpa Alfie Miss Marinette.” And just like that her smile was back, this time with a determined light in her eyes.

“And I’m going to get you to call me Mari too.” She was certainly confident, he’d give her that.

“As you say Miss.” Her eyes lit up in much the same way Master Tim’s did when he was given a particularly difficult case to solve. Alfred couldn’t help but wonder what he’d just gotten into.


	6. Chapter 6

Marinette studied her family, old and new. Her parents were obviously still worried about Alfred influencing her but that was a fear she’d have to break with time. Luka and Kagami trusted her judgement and she trusted them not to overreact. Her new Grandfather seemed content rolling with the punches and staying in her comfort zone. Chloe… well she was still glaring at Alfred. The girl had adopted a ridiculously overprotective big sister persona once she and Marinette had made peace. Most of the time it was endearing but right now it wasn’t likely to help.

“Grandpa Alfie, would you like to see my garden?” Alfred blinked at her and she had to hide a smile. It was obvious the man was used to being prepared and it was fun surprising him. Before he could answer, her mother jumped in.

“Sweetheart, do you really think that’s a good idea?” There was a warning in her tone and Marinette fought not to sigh.

“Maman, everything will be fine. We’ll still be in the house and I’m not going anywhere, I promise.” It was obvious the man would be more willing to talk to her alone and while she had no intention of changing her life, she did want to hear what he had to say. If her birth father really did want a relationship with her, the least she could do was listen and get all the information she could before making a decision. Her parents still looked less than thrilled. “This is something I need to do, and I’d really like your support.”

“Oh, Mari, of course.” Both her parents tripped over themselves to assure her that they’d always support her decisions. It was a little bit of a dirty trick on her part, but it was the quickest way out of the argument. Alfred was studying her again and she had a feeling he knew exactly what she’d done.

“Do you want any of us to come with you?” Kagami’s tone was bordering on hostile so Marinette shook her head. None of them were calm enough except Luka, but she had a feeling she’d get a lot more information if she was alone with the man anyway.

“Well, he hasn’t even said yes yet, but I think he’d prefer to talk to me alone.” No one seemed happy about it but they all did eventually nod.

“I’d love to see your garden Miss Marinette.” She gave the man a full wattage smile and noticed the suspicion in his eyes. This should be interesting.

“Wonderful, follow me.” She led Alfred up to her room and out to her balcony before anyone could protest further. While she was proud of her herbs and flowers, she knew they both had other reasons for being up here. After taking a deep breath to calm herself she turned to her new Grandfather. “You have concerns.” Best to rip the bandaid off.

“A few Miss.” He seemed surprised that she’d noticed. She was still just annoyed that he insisted on calling her Miss. She was going to break that habit if it was the last thing she did. “The way I’ve seen you interact with people so far is a bit alarming. Not to mention the… devotion they have for you.” Marinette blew out a frustrated sigh. Him being so observant was going to be a challenge.

“How much do you know about the situation here in Paris?” His confused frown was not what she’d been expecting. Great.

“I’m afraid I don’t know what exactly you’re referring to Miss.” She knew that the world at large wasn’t aware of anything strange in Paris, but she’d thought someone with a worldwide business would have at least caught wind of it. Apparently she underestimated the Miraculous magic.

“Please Grandpa Alfie, at least drop the Miss and just call me Marinette. And please sit. I have a feeling this is going to be a very long conversation.” He remained silent, but he did sit. Where did she even start? “I’m sure this will come as a bit of a shock, and I’m sure you’ll want to verify it yourself, but Paris is being terrorized by a madman with a magical artifact. Has been for four years actually.”

“That is not possible.” She could tell the words were more instinctual than anything else. He composed himself quickly though. “My apologies, but I can’t see how we wouldn’t have heard of it if that were the case.” Honestly, she didn’t either. The Kwami had tried to explain it to her, multiple times. Something about restored timelines and only those affected really being able to focus on it long enough to know it was real in the first place. It just gave her a headache and she still didn’t really understand.

“As I said, the villain and the heroes are using magic. Some part of the magic is somehow stopping the information from making it out of Paris. No one really understands it, but it’s the truth. As I said, I’m sure you’ll want to verify it but in order to do so you’ll most likely have to go through an attack yourself to lift the haze.” That’s what people had started calling it, stupid name though it was. The further away from Paris you got, the more hazy your memory of the attacks, and until you’d actually experienced it yourself any news footage seemed to be pure fiction. It was good and bad. Alfred was still frowning at her with disbelief all over his face.

“Even if that’s true, I’m not sure how it’s relevant Miss.” She crossed her arms and glowered at him, waiting. It was a tense silence for a few minutes until he finally sighed. “You are definitely your father’s daughter. I still don’t see how this is relevant, Marinette.” She just grinned at him.

“Well you pointed out the devotion my friends and parents have for me. We’ve basically been living in a warzone for four years. While Ladybug’s cure fixes physical damage and reverses death, we’ve all been heavily traumatized. What you’ve noticed in our behavior is likely due to that trauma and the fact that in order not to be taken over by Hawkmoth we have to carefully regulate our emotions.”

“What do you mean taken over?” It was so strange having to explain this to someone. The real question was how much detail could she go into without making it obvious she knew more than she should. She sat across from him and tried to find the easiest way to make things make sense to him.

“Okay, so the heroes and villains all get their powers from magical artifacts called Miraculous. Each Miraculous has specific powers. Hawkmoth, the main villain, is able to send out corrupted butterflies called Akumas to give powers to others and basically take them over. He does this by taking advantage of people’s negative emotions. The victims don’t remember anything once Ladybug has purified the Akuma and it’s not their fault. All the people you met downstairs have been Akumatized at least once. They rely heavily on me and each other to keep their negative emotions to a minimum so it doesn’t happen again.”

“They’ve all been Akumatized, but you haven’t?” She honestly hadn’t expected him to catch that, but she probably should have. She gave a single nod in response. “Why do you think that is?” She shot him a look that said she knew what he was doing, but she answered anyway.

“I’ve always been a fairly positive and upbeat person. Yes, I do tend to be a bit dramatic at times, but it doesn’t usually last long enough to attract an Akuma. I have had a couple close calls but I was lucky enough to see it coming in time to focus on the good things in my life.”

“Such as?” He was testing her. She wondered if there was more to it than simply trying to assess how she was likely to take advantage of this new found connection, but she had a feeling she’d find out soon enough.

“Well, my friends and family for starters. You saw how much they love me. They’re all fiercely protective and will always have my back. If that’s not something to be happy about, I don’t know what is.” His look softened considerably and she felt like she’d passed some sort of test.

“Yes Marinette, that is certainly a good reason to be happy.” Progress! She didn’t even have to prompt him to use her name that time.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As previously stated, DC can’t figure out their own story and timeline so I don’t have to either. lol So, yes I’m aware that this doesn’t fit with canon. No I absolutely don’t care. :)

“You’re the one that requested to speak with me alone, so what is it you wanted to tell me?” Marinette watched as Alfred hesitated over the question.

“To be honest I thought you’d have questions you’d want answered and even if you trust your friends a family I still think it’s a good idea to give you the information and let you choose how and when to share it with them.” He cleared his throat before continuing. “Especially questions concerning the circumstances of your birth.” Well that didn’t sound ominous at all.

“Does he really want to meet me? Or does he just want to make sure I’m not a liability to him and his company?” It obviously wasn’t the question he’d been expecting. Alfred didn’t show much expression but that actually caused a pained look that softened into concern.

“He wants to have a relationship with you. Master Bruce has many flaws, and given the way some of the others turned out it may be for the best you were raised by someone else, but he loves his children.” Children? She hadn’t even thought about that. She’d been an only child her whole life and it hadn’t even occurred to her that it might change.

“I have siblings?” Was she supposed to be happy or worried about that? “Do they want to meet me?” Oh Kwami, what should she do? How should she act? She’d have to make them all gifts but what if they didn’t like them? What if they hated her? Suddenly Alfred was holding her hands.

“Deep breaths. That’s it.” She gave him a sheepish smile. No one in the family was going to want anything to do with her if she kept up at this rate.

“Sorry. I just never even considered… It’s a lot to process.” He squeezed her hands and gave an encouraging smile.

“It’s completely understandable Miss. As to your question, they don’t know yet. Master Bruce wanted to see if you wanted contact at all first. The last thing anyone wants is the boys descending on Paris without warning.” His dry tone got a laugh out of her.

“I thought we were done this this ‘Miss’ nonsense Grandpa Alfie.” He was trying to hide smile so she knew he didn’t actually mind her persistence. “So how many siblings do I have exactly?”

“That gets a bit complicated. You have two half-siblings that we’re aware of, as well as multiple officially and unofficially adopted siblings. Officially it would be three adopted brother, Master Damian - who is your half-brother by master Bruce - and Miss Cassandra is your twin.” Wait what?

“I thought you said two half siblings.” Her voice was weak but she couldn’t help it. Twin? If Bruce Wayne didn’t know about her how did he end up with her sister?

“And that’s another part of why it’s complicated. You and Miss Cassandra shared a womb and have the same mother, but the embryos were fertilized by two different men.” She could only stare at him for a moment as her brain tried to process any of that.

“Wait, if we have different fathers then how did she end up with mine?” The man had more than enough money to do a DNA test, obviously, so if their mother just dropped the wrong baby on his doorstep surely he would have checked. Right?

“I don’t know that I can give you the full explanation right now, but Master Bruce adopted Miss Cassandra in her teens. None of us knew about the pair of you. I know it probably seems unbelievable, but it is the truth.” Her teens… no, that actually made perfect sense.

“She was thirteen wasn’t she?” The surprised look on Alfred’s face was all the answer she needed. If she had to guess it was within a week of when she got her Miraculous. That was concerning, on so many levels. “I need to meet her as soon as possible.” Alfred was frowning at her.

“I’m sure we can arrange something, but I’m not sure it’s a good idea to just set up a meeting without-”

“I appreciate your concern but I really need to meet her. I’d like to get to know all of you, but I have a feeling we’re supposed to be together.” And she needed to interrogate a couple Kwami in the meantime but that was another matter entirely. He looked rather taken aback at being interrupted and she winced at her shortness. “Sorry. I’m sure it sounds strange…” He actually rolled his eyes.

“Not at all. I have a feeling you’ll fit right in. And you at least won’t destroy my kitchen.” She laughed but she could see the strain on his face. “At the same time, there are some things I should warn you about with Miss Cassandra… as well as your birth mother.” He watched her expression but she didn’t know for what. “Unless you’re already aware of who she is?” It was that searching look again and she was just confused by it.

“No. All I have is the note she left with me. My parents never met her as far as they know. They just found me on their doorstep with all the documentation they needed. As far as the legal system is concerned I’ve never had any other parents.” Was it strange? Incredibly so, but it wasn’t even surprising at this point. Alfred actually looked relieved.

“That is for the best.” His tone was… she couldn’t place it and that worried her. He also seemed at a loss of how to continue but she just waited. She wasn’t sure if it was out of respect for him or because she wasn’t certain she wanted to hear what he had to say. “Once your DNA test hit the system Master Bruce wasn’t the only one to find it. Your mother actually contacted us as I was preparing to leave to make sure we would help protect you.” It took everything in her to keep a straight face. Protect her. If only he knew.

“From what exactly?” He didn’t want to tell her, she could see it. The question was how much was because he didn’t trust her?

“Have you ever heard of the League of Assassins?” His tone said he expected her to say no.

“League of Assassins? As in Ra’s and Talia al’Ghul?” She winced as soon as the words came out. She absolutely should not know that. Granted the shock on Alfred’s face was almost worth it. Almost.


	8. Chapter 8

“How exactly is a billionaire businessman connected to the al Ghuls, and what does that have to do with my birth mother?” Marinette decided to take advantage of Alfred’s shock. She knew better than to think he’d just answer her question but she’d be able to get a lot of information from his reaction while he was off balance.

“How does a teenager from Paris even know who they are?” Deflection. Fairly standard move.

“I asked first.” She had to hide a smile at the eyeroll that produced. Finding his buttons was proving to be quite amusing.

“Master Bruce has business interests all over the world.” She just gave him a flat look. More deflection.

“No, that’s not it.” Alfred blinked at her for a moment. She’d admit he was very good at half truths, but not enough to fool her.

“I assure you Miss, Wayne Enterprises has ventures all over the world.”

“That may be true but it’s not how he’s connected to the League. Wait… Taila can’t be my mother. There’s no way she could have written that note given that the woman has no empathy.” After what happened that would be a literal nightmare. But there was also no reason for Talia to want to protect her from the League so it couldn’t be her… right?

“No, Talia isn’t your mother.” There was a slight emphasis on the word ‘your’ that most people would have missed. He wasn’t kidding when he said things were complicated. As far as she knew Talia only had one child. A child she claimed was fathered by some American superhero. What was his name? Dixon? No, Daren? No that wasn’t it. She’d gone on and on about her precious…

“Damian.” She didn’t mean to say it out loud but seeing Alfred’s expression she was glad she did. But if Bruce was Damian’s father as well, and Talia wasn’t just being grandiose, that meant he was a hero? “Where exactly does my father live?” She’d done her homework on other heroes in case she needed help or one of them ended up in Paris. Maybe she could narrow down the possibilities by location.

“Gotham, Miss.” Marinette heard a sound leave her throat that she couldn’t identify. Judging by Alfred’s expression he hadn’t heard anything like it before either.

“My father is Batman?” Alfred wasn’t able to hide his shock, but she wasn’t certain it was because she was right. At the same time all the pieces fit. Not to mention Tikki had told her that as a true chosen, fate and chance were always working overtime around her.

“Marinette, that is an interesting fancy. Just because a man lives in the same city as a notable vigilante doesn’t mean they’re the same person.” Alfred’s tone was a bit huffy and Marinette laughed out loud, earning her a glare.

“You have tells Grandpa Alfie. Using my name without prompting is definitely one of them. Don’t worry, the secret is safe with me.” She suddenly found herself on the receiving end of an extremely intense stare. It was a lot like the look her Maman gave her that made it feel like she could see everything Marinette had ever done wrong. When she was younger that stare made her start confessing to everything, even things she hadn’t done. By the time she became Ladybug she was able to hold it in though she couldn’t control her expressions. She honestly didn’t know how she’d kept it secret for so long. Now though, she could simply sit there calmly and wait as Alfred seemed to weigh and measure every aspect of her life. She felt sorry for all her siblings who must be on the receiving end of this inspection on a regular basis.

“I would like to know how you came to that conclusion, why you think you can be trusted with such information if it were in fact true, and how you know about the League of Assassins.” The poor man sounded so tired. She could only imagine what he went through on a daily basis if she was right about her father. The only solid thought that went through her head was ‘give to get’ and as she examined her instincts she knew he could be trusted. Not to mention that at this point she’d had too many slip ups to avoid at least a partial explanation. Fate and chance once again conspiring to set her on a certain path. As much as she hated her hand being forced like this it wasn’t fair to take it out on her new found family.

“It’s complicated.” She giggled at the flat look he shot her as she echoed his own words back at him. “I have a lot more pieces of the puzzle than you’re aware of for starters so nothing you said or did would have outed him by itself. My conclusion is actually tied to how I know about the League of Assassins and that is a story that I need you to promise not to share, with anyone, unless you ask me first. No one knows the whole of it besides me because I don’t want to risk any Akuma’s or worse. But I trust you to keep it to yourself, given that you’re obviously experienced at keeping secrets.”

“I have a feeling you are as well.” She could only offer him a tired smile at that observation. If only he knew. His look softened considerably. “You have my word that nothing you say will be shared without your permission. Unless it’s a matter of life and death.” She let out a thoughtful hum before replying.

“That’s fair I suppose. Granted the whole life or death thing can be a bit subjective. I suppose I should start at the beginning, though I’m not sure I know where that is anymore. Remember how I said our heroes and villains are using Magical Artifacts to get their powers?”

“I do Miss.” She rolled her eyes, more in annoyance at herself than anything.

“You’re just going to refuse to use my name at all now that I called you on your tell aren’t you?” There was that almost smile again.

“I don’t know what you mean Miss.”

“Of course you don’t. Anyway, those Artifacts are highly coveted by certain groups. One of those groups is the League of Assassins. Given how little information gets out of Paris intact I’m still not sure how they found out the Miraculous were in circulation, but Ra’s and Talia came to Paris, about two years ago I believe, to try and take them.” That had started the worst week of her life, even if some of the lasting effects were some of the best things in her life currently. That week she’d found out that Adrien was Chat. That was the week Paris had been destroyed over a dozen times as she fought and Akumatized Ra’s al Ghul almost by herself. That was the week she’d given Chloe, Luka, and Kagami their Miraculous permanently. That was the week she’d seen everyone and everything she’d ever loved ripped apart. She still had nightmares that featured the lifeless stares of everyone she cared about. Yes she’d fixed it in the end, just like always, but unlike everyone else she didn’t have the luxury of forgetting. Suddenly she felt gentle hands on her own.

“You remind me so much of your father. You both carry burdens and refuse to share them. You both seem to think that the world is on your shoulders, and yours alone. You both have people all around you who would help, if only you’d let them.” His tone was an odd mixture of concern and censure.

“You’d be a good match for Wayzz. A calm and steadying presence full of wisdom yet willing to do whatever is necessary to protect those you care about.” She was just as surprised by the words as he was but she knew she was right. “But that is another complicated matter and I still owe you a proper explanation for the first round of confusion I sprang on you.”


	9. Chapter 9

Before Marinette could even try to explain Luka opened the hatch with an apologetic look.

“Sorry to interrupt Melody, but it looks like Alya’s been Akumatized again.” She could only let out a tired sigh. It was never good when Hawkmoth did back to back Akumas

“Maybe she finally listened to me about Lila.” Alfred was giving her a concerned look and she realized how monotone she sounded. She really hoped Adrien just sat this fight out, she wasn’t sure she had the energy to keep him in check right now. “Tell the others to come up.” Luka shot a look at Alfred and she sighed. “I trust him and my instincts tell me that he’ll be a necessary ally.” Luka just nodded and went back down. He knew better than to question her impulsive decisions. Alfred was giving her a calculating look and she just offered a small smile.

“Miss Marinette, I came here to let you know your father would like to have a relationship with you, not to invade your privacy.” She actually laughed at that.

“It’s not invading if you’re invited Grandpa Alfie. Knowing about my father’s second life, and the likelihood that my twin is about to get far more involved here, you’ll find out eventually. Granted I would have rather eased you into it a bit more.” The hatch opened again and Alfred was once again subjected to Chloe’s glares. They really needed to have another talk about how she reacted to threats. Everyone else filtered up except her Papa, and Marinette was on the receiving end of one of her Maman’s half worried, half annoyed glares.

“Marinette I don’t think this is a good idea. You just met the man. Surely you can give it some time to make sure he’s actually trustworthy.” She found it far more amusing than she probably should have that Alfred was nodding along in agreement. She knew she was right about him, no matter that he seemed to think she was insane as well.

“He’s part of my luck shifting Maman, I can feel it. I don’t expect you to understand and I’m sorry if you think I’m being hasty, but I know I’m right. Now I’d appreciate it if you’d take Grandpa Alfie downstairs to watch the news and answer any questions he has while we go deal with this. Please Maman.” She looked like she was going to argue but ended up blowing out a frustrated breath.

“You’d better be right about this.” Marinette could hear the strain in her voice. Finding out she was Ladybug had been hard on her parents. Finding out she was the Guardian was worse. But she was certain letting her continue with minimal interference was eating away at them. They wanted so badly to help, but she couldn’t trust that they would follow her directions in a fight even if she could find compatible Kwami. Her safety, not Paris, would always be their primary goal. As much as she loved them for that it was a liability against Hawkmoth.

“Everything will be alright Maman, you’ll see. You’ll at least be happy that Alfred told me some things that mean Chat will be losing his Miraculous sooner rather than later. Everyone ready?” She watched her team nod before they all transformed. Alfred’s eyes widened slightly, but that was the only sign of his surprise. She was a little worried about what he must go through on a daily basis that four teens turning into heroes was just one more thing. “We’ll talk more once we get back.”

“I look forward to it Miss.”

———————————————————————————

Alfred followed Mme. Cheng back down to the living room. The only thought that would form properly was that Bruce would never have a normal child. He was a little worried about how the man would react to the magical nature of his newest addition. That worry was nothing to the fact that Miss Marinette had already had a run in with the League of Assassins. The trauma that radiated off of her would certainly fit right in with everyone else though.

“What did my daughter mean about you telling her things that convinced her to take Chat’s Miraculous?” He wasn’t quite sure what to make of her accusatory tone.

“I’m honestly not sure Madam. I have a feeling we’re both missing pertinent information to figure that out.” The woman let out an amused hum.

“Most likely. Marinette processes things differently than most so following her train of thought is near impossible. The fact that she tends to start talking out loud in the middle of a thought doesn’t help either.” He couldn’t wait to witness a conversation between her and Master Tim when he’d been awake for a few days. When they reached the bottom of the stairs M. Dupain was glowering at him from the couch.

“What are we doing with him?” The threat was obvious but Alfred knew he was just worried about his daughter.

“We’re going to turn on the news so M. Pennyworth can see his first Akuma attack in relative safety.” The man paled at that announcement and Mme. Cheng went to sit next to him. “Mari asked us to answer any general questions. We’ll put it on mute so you don’t have to watch or listen to the fight.” M. Dupain nodded but still looked like he was going to be ill. As they turned on the TV Alfred reclaimed the seat he’d been in earlier.

“I take it you don’t normally watch these altercations then?” They both shook their heads and M. Dupain was staring at the ceiling when he answered.

“I wasn’t fond of seeing it before we knew who Ladybug was. Now I just can’t stand to see the damage she and the others take in every fight. It was one thing to know that the heroes were young, it’s completely different knowing I can’t protect my own child.”

“If you didn’t know about it, how exactly did she end up with these powers?” While he was glad they hadn’t been complicit in turning the girl into a superhero, it brought up a whole host of other concerns and questions.

“That’s something you’ll have to ask Marinette. We’ll give you any widely known information but she’ll decide how much you need to know otherwise.” Mme. Cheng’s voice had a hard edge but it sounded more like frustration at the situation than at him specifically. He just nodded before turning his attention to the TV. He was just in time to see Ladybug being thrown through a brick building. As the fight continued even he began to feel a bit nauseous.


	10. Chapter 10

“You need to take his Miraculous now. Honestly I’d be fine if he was just sitting out but his reckless behavior is causing problems and he won’t listen to you or anyone else when they point it out. “ Marinette just sighed at Kagami’s words as they walked into the living room. They’d all been taking turns since the fight ended to convince her of the necessity.

“You need to tell me who that boy is so I can go beat some sense into him.” Her Maman’s complaint just got a weak smile. She’d refused to tell them for that very reason.

“There’s no need, I told him to meet me tonight.” She could hear how tired she was which meant everyone else could too. She went over to sit between her parents and curled into her father’s waiting hug. “I’m fine Papa, I promise. And if I’m right, I’ll have my real black cat soon and this will all be over.”

“And who exactly is this person?” Chloe’s demanding tone was hiding concern, for a lot of reasons. Even so Marinette couldn’t stop the ill timed yawn that came out and it seemed to annoy the other girl more.

“My twin.” There was dead silence at that announcement. She was debating who would find their voice first.

“Seriously? Paris can barely handle one of you and you want to bring in a clone?” Yeah, Chloe is the one she would have guessed.

“She’s not a clone, and she’s technically my half sister so we don’t even have that similar of DNA.” Luka and Kagami were communicating with looks and she was too worn out to try and follow it. Chloe just huffed and crossed her arms while Marinette felt her Papa hug her harder.

“You have a half sister?” Her Maman’s tone was soft and that could be dangerous. Unfortunately, Marinette didn’t heed that little voice in her head telling her to stop.

“And a half brother, and apparently a bunch of siblings that are adopted.” She felt the impending explosion too late to do anything but burrow further into her Papa.

“This man has all these kids and just decided he didn’t want you?” She forgot how loud her Maman could yell. She didn’t do it often which made it far more terrifying when she did.

“It’s not like that. He didn’t know about me, and it’s all rather too complicated to go into when I can barely keep my eyes open. Grandpa Alfie?” The man had been suspiciously quiet but he was radiating the same tension as her parents.

“Yes Miss Marinette?” Yep, there was definitely some suppressed anger in that tone.

“Could you ask Mr. Wayne if he and Cass can come to Paris? Sooner would be better. The others can come too but I need her here.” He was frowning at her and she wasn’t certain why but it looked thoughtful.

“Of course, I’ll make sure they’re here by tomorrow.” That was the last thing she heard before she fell asleep.

————————————————————

Alfred pulled out his phone to text Master Bruce with measured calmness, but inside he was livid. It was bad enough children had been given the responsibility of protecting Paris but watching one of them goof off to the point that he endangered all the others, multiple times, made him want to take Mme. Cheng’s idea and run with it. Given what they’d said during the fight about him harassing Ladybug he’d be more than willing to set the boy straight.

Alfred - You and Miss Cassandra need to be on a plane. Now.

Master Bruce - What’s wrong?

Alfred - You’ll be briefed when you get here, but it is incredibly urgent.

Master Bruce - Should I tell Cass about Marinette?

Alfred - Yes, that would be prudent.

Master Bruce - What about the boys?

Alfred - Miss Marinette is amenable to meeting them as well, but I’ll let you decide if you want to tell them now and have them all descend on Paris with you.

Master Bruce - It might be best to get it over with at one time. Selina wants to come too for some reason.

Alfred - I don’t see that as a problem, but I will ask Miss Marinette when she wakes just to be sure.

Master Bruce - We’ll be there in twelve hours.

Alfred didn’t bother to ask how many because he had a feeling it was going to be all of them. He did wonder at Miss Kyle’s interest, but she might just be curious to see Master Bruce’s newly found offspring.

“They’ll be here by morning. Probably with the boys as well.” He looked up to find Miss Marinette asleep. Mme. Cheng was frowning at him.

“Exactly how many are we talking about?” She was speaking through clenched teeth and Alfred could tell she was trying to remain calm. This was all a lot to process so he wasn’t surprised.

“Master Bruce, his fiance, and Miss Cassandra for certain. Masters Dick, Jason, Tim, and Damian are possibilities. I’ll do what I can to keep them from overwhelming all of you.”

“I thought Bruce Wayne only had one known biological son, so how exactly does Mari have a twin sister?” Alfred debated whether to answer Miss Chloe’s question, but Marinette would certainly explain it when she was awake anyway.

“Miss Cassandra and Miss Marinette share the same mother but have different fathers. So you are correct, until now Master Damian was the only one we knew about.” He could tell she was about to grill him further and kept going to prevent it. “Miss Marinette and I were interrupted and I would prefer not to disclose things to others I haven’t even been able to tell her. I’m also not certain what she would want to share with all of you so that’s all I’m willing to say on the matter at present.”

“I can respect that, and Mari definitely deserves to hear everything first.” She paused to look at the sleeping girl and sighed. “I guess she’ll be getting the siblings she wanted. I should go back to the hotel and prepare rooms, since I’m assuming they’ll be joining you there.” It wasn’t exactly a question but Alfred nodded anyway.

“Yes Miss. As soon as I know about the boys I’ll have an idea of room numbers and let you know.”


	11. Chapter 11

Marinette woke up on the floor sandwiched between Luka and Kagami. She was about to just go back to sleep when she noticed it was dark outside. That was a problem… why was that a problem? Chat. She bolted upright.

“It’s only nine sweetheart.” Her Papa’s voice came from the kitchen and when she looked over he, her Maman, and Alfred were sitting around the counter. All of them looked worried and tense. Marinette got up slowly so as not to wake her partners and as soon as she was out from between them they scooted together. She just smiled fondly at them before going over to the adults.

“Everything will be fine. Where’s Chloe?” Her Maman glared at her while her Papa let out a frustrated sigh.

“Miss Chloe went back to the hotel to see about rooms for everyone. Also, Master Bruce’s finance wishes to come meet you as well if that is acceptable.”

“Of course, but I may not be able to spend much time with them at first. I have a feeling that things are going to progress rapidly once my true Black Cat has the Miraculous.” They were all frowning at her now.

“And how exactly are you planning on taking it from Chat Noir in the first place?” Her Maman’s tone had an edge to it and she was speaking through clenched teeth. Her parents hated her doing anything dangerous and it was times like this she was honestly sorry they knew who she was.

“I told him to meet me somewhere there will be cover. I’m bringing Chloe so she can stun him. I also wanted to ask if you would be willing to come Grandpa Alfie. It will mean you’ll have to use a Miraculous but it would help misdirect Chat as to who is actually in charge.” Her parents exploded immediately while Alfred just frowned at her in thought. This was exactly why she couldn’t let them take part in things like this. “Please don’t yell, you’ll wake the others.”

“And why does he get to go rather than one of us?” The fury in her Maman’s tone sent a chill down her spine but she didn’t let them see it.

“For starters, he’s not attached to me yet. You two are too close to me, not to mention that as my parents it’s completely against your nature to follow orders from me. I can’t risk you moving too soon. Also Grandpa Alfie doesn’t know me well enough to give away my identity unless he calls me by name. I love you both, but you have no filter when it comes to protecting me. He also has military experience that could be useful and given Master Fu’s age before he died, Chat will be far more likely to assume he is the Guardian. That misdirection could be vital in keeping everyone safe.” They didn’t look happy, but they did stop arguing.

“How did you know I was in the military?” She blinked at Alfred in confusion for a moment before letting out a yawn. She really hoped there wasn’t another Akuma in the next few days.

“You didn’t tell me?” He shook his head and she shrugged. “Must be the way you carry yourself then.”

“I also didn’t tell you that Miss Cassandra goes by Cass but when you asked me to contact them that’s what you called her.” Marinette rubbed the sleep from her eyes as she considered that.

“I suppose I made the logical leap. I mean what else would she go by? That or I was just too tired to get the full name out.” Alfred just gave a thoughtful hum but she could tell he thought it was more than that. And maybe it was. Things like this had happened before but she’d never paid much attention to them. It simply made sense to her and she really didn’t understand why it didn’t to everyone else.

“I would like to know a bit more about these Miraculous before I agree to using one.” Oh right. She hadn’t been able to explain had she?

“Tikki will probably be able to explain it better at the moment. I tend to over simplify and forget important things when I’m tired.” Her parents were fighting back grins and Alfred just looked confused.

“Who’s Tikki?” She metally facepalmed but before she could apologize the Kwami in question flew out to introduce themselves.

“I’m Tikki, Kwami of Creation. I give Marinette her powers as Ladybug. It’s very nice to meet you.” The poor man just blinked at them, obviously unsure how to proceed. Tikki was studying him and gave an approving hum. “You’re right Mari, he and Wayzz will suit each other and it will help Chat make the Guardian connection you want as well.”

“So I assume each Miraculous is powered by a Kwami?” Tikki just beamed at him. They liked talking to people who could grasp things quickly.

“Yes. Each grants the powers of their aspect. Mari is planning on having you use the Turtle Miraculous which houses Wayzz, Kwami of Protection. His most notable power is the ability to create shields.” Alfred seemed to be debating his next question. She wasn’t certain if he was trying to decide what was more important, or trying to find a way to word it so it didn’t sound offensive.

“Exactly how much control do your users have?” He sounded cautious and she could understand why if that was something he was worried about.

“The Kwami have to obey their holders. When transformed you’re in complete control. Depending on how attuned a person is with the Miraculous your Kwami may be able to subconsciously communicate with you but they can’t control you. Tikki and I are a perfect match so they can actually talk to me while I’m transformed.” That had come in handy too many times to count, but it also meant Marinette got to hear the Kwami giggle anytime a particularly random Lucky Charm showed up. They absolutely refused to help with those.

“So they’re basically slaves.” Alfred’s tone was oddly flat and Marinette could only sigh.

“In a way yes, which is why Hawkmoth even exists. It’s not ideal, but the Kwami themselves don’t mind for the most part and any time I’ve suggested destroying the Miraculous or coming up with a way to give them more autonomy they all act horrified.” Tikki just gave her a stern look.

“Because we agreed to this existence for a reason. Balance must be maintained and this is the best way to do that overall.” This was one of those agree to disagree problems. She would defer to Tikki’s judgement though, given that they were a god older than the universe as they knew it.

“I would still like a more detailed explanation, but given the current time restraint I believe it will have to wait. If you feel you need me there I will go.” Marinette gave him a tired smile.

“Thank you. If everything goes to plan you won’t even have to do anything except make sure Chat sees you after Chloe stuns him. He should jump to all the wrong conclusions on his own.” He frowned at her.

“And if things don’t go to plan?” She tilted her head in thought. It wasn’t a question she was used to simply because her team had learned to just deal with problems.

“Then we improvise. My luck works better without detailed planning so I try not to overthink things in advance.” Now he was just looking at her like she’d lost her mind. This was going to be interesting.


	12. Chapter 12

Ladybug waited impatiently for Chat to arrive at the warehouse. He was already fifteen minutes late and if they were meeting for any other reason she would have left by now. This was minor in the larger scheme of things but she catalogued it as one more reason he wasn’t a dependable black cat in order to make her feel better later. No matter how badly he behaved she still felt sorry for him. When she heard him come through the window she had to hold back a relieved sigh.

“Good evening M’Lady, odd spot for a romantic evening.” She felt her eye twitch at the thought and had to fight back the immediate nausea that it induced.

“This isn’t a date Chat. How many times do I have to tell you I don’t see you that way?” It was a rhetorical question really, but he answered anyway.

“You’ll see. We’re meant to be together and if you would just stop fighting it everything would be fine.” She just frowned at him for a moment.

“What makes you think you’re in love with me? You know next to nothing about me so whatever this infatuation is it can’t be real love. Have you ever stopped to consider that you’re feelings are based on a perfect person you created in your mind?” He just rolled his eyes at her and she had to stop herself from hitting him.

“That’s nonsense. I’ve always loved you and you’ve always loved me. You’re just being stubborn because you don’t want to admit it to yourself.” It was like conversing with a brick wall… actually no, at least the wall didn’t talk back. Just the thought of never having this conversation again released stress she didn’t even realize she’d been carrying.

“I’m sorry.” The smile that came over his face was beyond creepy. He thought she was apologizing for not admitting feelings she didn’t have. In reality she was just sorry about everything that was about to happen. She wished more than anything that this had any other possible outcome.

“You should be. But you can make it up to me by telling me who you are.” He probably thought his grin was charming but to her it just looked predatory. Had he always been like that? Maybe if she’d just set better boundaries from the start none of this would have happened.

“You know that’s not going to happen. I do hope that in time you’ll understand why this has to be done. I hope that in time you’ll find peace.” He just frowned at her in confusion but before he could question her, his entire body froze up. Wasp stepped around him, glaring at the still form.

“Don’t waste your breath Bug. He’s never listened before, why would he now?” Ladybug sighed.

“Maybe, but if he hears it enough he might think about it later.” She reached for his ring and saw panic in his eyes. It hurt more than she thought it would. As she eased it off his finger Alfred stepped out of the shadows as well, transformed with much the same look as Master Fu. It was intentional so that Chat would see what they wanted.

“Perhaps this will serve as a lesson so he understands the consequences of his actions. Either way, it’s no longer your problem.” His voice was cold and she had to wonder exactly how much her parents had told him about Chat’s behavior. When he detransformed Plagg appeared and actually hissed at him.

“It’s about time. If you think you’re tired of lecturing him, how do you think I feel?” Ladybug just gave them a flat look before stepping around Adrien so he couldn’t see her and waving Alfred to do the same. This was going to be painful.

She held the ring so it was directly between the boy’s shoulder blades and took a deep breath. Plagg inhaled sharply so they knew what she was about to do. Tikki had explained it as soon as they’d begun planning to retrieve the Miraculous, but she could only hope it would work since she hadn’t been able to practice. She concentrated on the center of the ring forcing Tikki’s energy to mingle with Plagg’s. The pushback was stronger than she expected but she kept going. This was necessary. She could see Alfred’s concerned expression out of the corner of her eye as well as Wasp’s confused frown.

It took a few minutes but finally the energy began to feel the way Tikki told her it would. She could actually she the creation and destruction swirling lazily around each other. This had been their natural state before the Miraculous were created. One couldn’t be present without the other. She had to remind herself she had a job to do as she considered how right it felt. She pushed the energy through Adrien’s back and into his spine. From there it began to flow throughout his entire system. She only stopped the flow once she was sure the energy had saturated every part of him. When she did, it snapped back and she cried out as her transformation dropped. When her mind cleared she looked up to find Alfred and Wasp holding her up with worry written on their faces.

“Wasp, take him home now.” She hesitated but did as Marinette asked. She knew she’d be questioned thoroughly when Chloe made it back to the bakery.

“What happened?” She tried to give Alfred a reassuring smile but winced halfway through it as a sharp pain presented behind her eye. She really hoped that was temporary.

“I made it so he can’t be used by Hawkmoth or Mayura. Whether he realizes it or not he knows more than enough to cause problems if Hawkmoth gets inside his head.” She felt really lightheaded. That Tikki had mentioned as a side effect. “Can you take me home? I don’t think it’s a good idea for me to transform again.”

“No kidding. I can’t believe you told her to do that.” Plagg sounded angry but Tikki let out a resigned sigh.

“It was necessary Plagg. You should understand given that you were inside his head whenever he was transformed. The pain will pass and since she’s my Chosen there won’t be any lasting side effects. Especially since she’ll finally have her true Black Cat shortly.” That caused a sharp inhale.

“You’ve found my Chosen?” Tikki hesitated, so Marinette answered.

“We found out I have a twin.” She watched as Plagg’s expression morphed from confusion to glee.

“Oh thank goodness. Siblings are so much more in tune than other pairs. This is going to be so much fun.” She rolled her eyes in tandem with Tikki. That would be their main concern. Before she could respond Alfred picked her up and started for the window.

“I believe anything else can wait until we get you back home Miss.” She yawned in answer and both Kwami curled up under her chin. Plagg’s purring lulled her to sleep as Alfred went silently across the rooftops.


	13. Chapter 13

The next time Marinette woke it was still dark. She was in her bed this time and when she looked around she found Luka and Kagami on her Chaise and Chloe on the floor. It was a common enough configuration and Marinette was ready to just go back to sleep when Tikki spoke.

“Alfred’s downstairs and wishes to speak with you.” She fished around the bed for her phone to see the time. Four in the morning. That didn’t bode well. “I think he just wants to speak with you before the others arrive.” That comment woke her up like a blast of cold air. She was going to be meeting her birth father and his kids, not to mention her twin. She was absolutely not prepared for this. She quickly descended the ladder and then the stairs to the living room. Alfred was sitting at the kitchen counter with her parents.

“Tikki said you wanted to talk?” Her parents started but Alfred just smiled at her.

“Yes Miss. I would like to talk to you about Miss Cassandra before the others get here. She had a very… unusual upbringing and there are some things it would be best you knew beforehand.” She just blinked at him for a moment trying to figure out what he could possibly mean.

“Okay.” He looked to her parents. “They can hear it. I’m sure they’ll be meeting her sooner rather than later.” She didn’t want them at the initial meeting because she wanted to feel out Mr. Wayne without them glaring at him, but she had no intention of keeping them apart permanently.

“As you wish. Your mother made a deal with Miss Cassandra’s father. Her life in exchange for a child.” Marinette frowned. She wasn’t certain if it was worse that the offer had been made or accepted. “Talia used the agreement to also create you. Sort of a test run for Damian from what we can gather. Your mother was furious at the deception and since that wasn’t part of her deal she ran with you and left Miss Cassandra with her father.”

“Well that explains why she left me here. She never wanted children in the first place.” She watched her parents exchange a look and Alfred seemed at a loss. “But that’s not the point. You were going to tell me about Cass’s childhood.” Alfred gave a nod but hesitated.

“Yes. Her father had her bred and trained for one purpose. To be the perfect bodyguard for Ra’s al Ghul.” Her parents sucked in a deep breath and Marinette felt her mind go blank. That was… not what she expected. When she didn’t say anything Alfred continued. “She was meant to be the perfect weapon. He chose your Mother for her ability to read body language, and trained Miss Cassandra in only that and combat from birth. In order to do that he deprived her of everything else. She was not spoken to, so she never learned to speak, nor was she taught to read or write. She had no way to communicate with others.” Marinette felt fury that she’d never even imagined at that. At their mother, Cass’s father, and the league. How dare they do that to her little sister. That thought caused her to pause. She didn’t know their birth order… did she?

“How long was she there?” Her parents were side eyeing her and she realized how much anger was still in her tone. She couldn’t help it though.

“Until she was eight. She was sent on a mission and just never went back.” There was a lot more to that story, but she honestly would rather hear it from the source. So there had been five years between that and her being adopted by Mr. Wayne. Five years when she’d likely been completely alone. Marinette felt guilt well up even though she knew it wasn’t her fault.

“She’s been with Mr. Wayne for four years now so I imagine she’s learned some things.” Alfred reached forward to cover one of her hands and she gave him a small smile. He cleared his throat.

“She has. Her speech is still rather broken. She has trouble finding the words she needs. She’s far more fluent in sign language.” That made sense given she was far more used to watching than listening.

“Chloe knows ASL so she’ll be able to teach me, and translate if necessary.” She chalked it up to her luck that Chloe had decided to piss off her mother by learning sign language rather than something ‘useful’. Audrey had expected her to pick Mandarin or something else that was more widely used but Chloe noticed one of her mother’s employees in New York was deaf. That had been an interesting blow up.

“I have a feeling the two of you won’t have a problem communicating.” Alfred’s voice was dry but amused.

“They may not but the rest of us likely will. If Chloe doesn’t have time to help we’ll have to take classes.” Her Maman said it more as a proclamation than a comment and her Papa just nodded in agreement. She felt herself choke up as she thought about how lucky she was. That brought a new wave of guilt.

“We really are the epitome of good and bad luck. I have to wonder if it’s my fault her life was so horrible.” Tikki and Plagg both flew up to her face looking pissed off.

“Your good luck rubbing off on her in the womb is likely the only reason she was able to escape in the first place. It’s definitely the reason she ended up with your birth father. You are not to blame.” Tikki sounded certain and now she had a whole host of other questions.

“Tikki’s right. As my Chosen, bad luck and misfortune were bound to follow her. I’ll be able to shield her from the worst of it once she has the ring.” Plagg sounded… determined. She’d never really thought about that, but now she had to wonder if Plagg’s ‘I don’t care’ attitude was to cover their own guilt.


	14. Chapter 14

Alfred was in the lobby of the hotel with Miss Kyle and an extremely nervous Master Bruce. Miss Cassandra should be joining them shortly but he’d told the boys the meeting wasn’t until the afternoon. He wanted to give the girls time together before the insanity descended.

“I don’t see why you won’t tell me what’s going on.” Alfred held back a smile at Bruce’s impatience.

“Because it’s not mine to tell. She’ll be here shortly.”

“Calm down Bruce. Everything’s going to be fine.” Selina sounded extremely amused and he had to wonder if it was more than just her normal laughter at his expense. Before he could ask there were excited shouts from the front doors.

“Selina!” Alfred could only blink as Marinette and Chloe ran towards the woman. Well this just got more interesting.

“My girls! How have you been?” They crashed into her as Luka and Kagami walked more sedately into the building.

“We’re alright. What are you doing in Paris?” Marinette pulled back to give the woman a stern look. “You’re not casing the hotel again are you?” Selina just rolled her eyes.

“I promised you I wouldn’t, didn’t I? I’m here to see my favorite Parisians. Well that and see my fiance’s face when he realizes that the progeny he’s been fearing is the devil incarnate is the sweetest, most creative ball of sunshine the world has ever known.” Marinette just looked confused at first but Chloe looked between Selina and Bruce before exploding.

“You’ve got to be kidding me! See, this shit is why I hated you when we were younger. You find out you’re adopted, which for most people just creates all sorts of drama, but not for you. Not only is your relationship with your parents stronger than ever, you also get an insanely rich father, a twin, and the coolest step mother in existence. Meanwhile I’m still stuck with genetic donors who see me as nothing but a walking disappointment. Ridiculous, utterly ridiculous.” Selina pulled the girl in for a hug while Marinette studied Bruce, who just looked shell shocked.

“Your parents still giving you grief?” Chloe just mumbled something. “I can sick Bruce on them if you want. If there’s anything your father responds to it’s someone with enough money to bury him.” That got an amused snort.

“No need. Once I turn eighteen in a month I’m pulling myself out of the ridiculous school and finishing online. Sabine got me an internship with one of the top chefs in Paris.” Selina gave her a worried frown.

“I doubt they’ll take that well. What if they kick you out?”

“They won’t have the option.” Selina raised an eyebrow at her but Marinette answered the unspoken question.

“She’s moving in with us. Once I turn eighteen she’ll get my room to herself. It’s not the Grand Paris, but it comes with unlimited pastries and parental support.”

“I’d take that over me as a step mom any day.” Selina gave Chloe’s shoulders another squeeze before turning to pin Marinette with a searching look. “And where are you going once you turn eighteen?”

“She, Kagami, and Luka went in together and bought a house yacht.” Chloe’s words caused the other three to glare at her and respond in tandem.

“It’s not a yacht.” Chloe just scoffed.

“It’s a yacht. It’s not even a small one, they just refuse to call it that because they don’t want to sound pretentious.” The others just continued to glare at her and Bruce finally found his voice.

“I thought your parents were bakers, how did you get money for that?” His voice was rather strangled and Alfred could see that he immediately regretted the question. Chloe, Luka, and Kagami were all glaring at him now while Selina just smirked. Marinette was studying him again and Alfred saw her expression soften. Selina was the one who ended up answering.

“Luka has been signed to Jagged Stone’s label. Kagami got quite a few endorsement deals after her showing at the Olympics last summer. Your daughter,” She emphasized the words and Bruce actually flinched. “Is a world famous fashion designer to the stars.” Miss Marinette rolled her eyes.

“She’s exaggerating. I’m Marinette Dupain-Cheng. It’s nice to meet you Mr. Wayne.” She held out her hand and Bruce just stared at her for a moment before coming out of his confusion and taking it.

“It’s very nice meeting you as well, and please call me Bruce.” She beamed at him and Alfred swore he saw the man’s brain melt. This was far more entertaining than it should have been. He saw movement out of the corner of his eye and decided to step in before Bruce embarrassed himself further.

“Miss Marinette, I’d like to introduce Miss Cassandra.” Everyone turned to look where he gestured and Cassandra froze, shooting Bruce a panicked look. Marinette stepped forward and their gazes locked. The tension seemed to drain from both of them and Marinette walked forward reaching for the other girl’s hand. Cassandra let out a relieved sigh as her twin leaned in until their foreheads were touching. The rest of them shared confused looks.

“Missed you.” Alfred wasn’t sure if he was more surprised by the words, or the fact that Cassandra was the one who said them.


	15. Chapter 15

Marinette couldn’t speak because it felt like her throat was locked in a vice. Instead she threw her arms around her twin knowing she’d understand. When they’d looked into each other’s eyes it was like coming home, but more. She couldn’t describe it. All of a sudden she realized a piece of her had been missing and now she was whole. When Cass hesitantly returned the hug she felt her anger spike. Her sister should not be so touch starved that a hug was abnormal.

“It’s okay.” She pulled back to pin the other girl with a dry look.

“No it’s not, but it will be. Now that we’re together we can buffer each other from the way fate and chance have been screwing with us.” Cass just gave an acknowledging hum. Looking closer Marinette could see an alarming amount of faded scars. She reached out to trace one just below her right ear. “I’m so sorry… If I had known…” What? What could she have possibly done to help? Nothing, but she couldn’t shake the guilt.

“Me too.” It took her a minute to figure out why Cass would be sorry. Then she remembered that Alfred told her Cass had escaped the League when she was eight.

“As much as I wish you had found me, you couldn’t have known. We were kept apart and kept ignorant of each other. But nothing is going to separate us again.” And anyone who tried was going to be in for a very rude awakening.

“Yeah, they’re definitely related. No one else could understand Mari’s cryptic speech patterns.” Chloe’s comment got chuckles out of Selina and Luka. Kagami and Alfred had almost identical small smiles. Poor Bruce just still looked confused. Before she could comment the Mayor exited an elevator and stormed over.

“Chloe! What have I told you about letting your friends bother guests? If you insist on bringing them here at least take them to your room.” Marinette couldn’t help the eyeroll. She wasn’t certain what had caused him to start thinking that way but every time they came to the hotel now, this was the result. “Mr. Wayne I’m so sorry. Please don’t hesitate to tell them if they’re bothering you, or call me to deal with it.” You would think a man so entrenched in politics would be able to read the room better.

“Your concern is appreciated though unnecessary Mayor Bourgeois. Your daughter has been essential in facilitating our stay and has done a wonderful job of making sure we’re all comfortable.” Bruce’s words seemed to stun the man. As she watched her father analyze the Mayor she could see why his alter ego could be deemed the world’s greatest detective. She could also see the moment he decided to go for the kill shot. “Besides, given that Chloe is best friends with my daughter she could never be a bother.” She fought not to laugh as it looked like he’d swallowed his tongue.

As they waited for the man to regain speech, Marinette gauged everyone else’s reactions. Chloe shot Bruce a grateful look while Alfred simply wore a proud smile. Luka and Kagami both looked like they were struggling not to laugh. Selina… she looked like it was her birthday. Cass was studying the Mayor and Marinette had a feeling it was to decide if he was a threat. Once his brain started working the Mayor’s eyes immediately darted to Cass before he put on one of the fakest smiles she’d ever seen.

“That’s wonderful to hear. Chloe you should have told us you were friends with a Wayne.” There was an edge to his voice that everyone caught. The look on Bruce and Selina’s faces was somewhere in between annoyance and disgust. Chloe had apparently just had enough of his shit.

“I’ve been friends with Mari for years and you’ve never cared.” The man glared at his daughter and Marinette almost cringed at what she knew was coming next. At least it would be entertaining.

“That’s different and you know it. She’s beneath you and you’re only friends with her because it annoys your mother. Just like you keeping this information from us is an act of immaturity. It’s time for you to grow up and stop all this nonsense.” Chloe’s face went oddly blank and she knew the girl was trying to keep her emotions in check. Mostly so she wouldn’t get Akumatized but probably a little so she didn’t attack her father. Selina pulled her into a protective side hug and glared at the Mayor. Marinette fully expected the woman to go off on him.

“So you think your daughter should only choose friends based on the amount of money or influence their parents have?” Bruce’s voice was neutral but it still made the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. Once again, the Mayor didn’t pick up on the mood.

“There are other considerations of course. Public image and such. But surely you of all people understand worrying about people taking advantage of your children to further their own ambitions.”

“I do worry about that. I warn them extensively against attaching themselves to people like you who see nothing but what they can get out of them. In my experience the more someone has the more they want and feel entitled to. Thankfully your daughter doesn’t seem to have inherited your greed. Otherwise I’d have to advise my daughter, Marinette, to rethink their friendship.” The Mayor’s eyes darted to her and Marinette just smiled sweetly at him. He paled drastically and she could see him trying to come up with something to fix the situation. When that didn’t seem to work he mumbled something about needing to see to city business and went back the way he’d come. Cass snickered beside her but Chloe looked worried.

“Why don’t we go up to your suite? That way the boys won’t be able to find us, we’ll have more privacy, and you can pack anything you’re afraid your parents will mess with.” Selina’s suggestion helped Chloe relax. Luka and Kagami were trading looks again before Kagami spoke.

“We can help her with that so you can speak to Mr. Wayne and your sister.” They obviously knew she was keeping things from them, but at least they trusted her enough to not push the issue. As much as she hated unnecessary secrets, she couldn’t just out other heroes without their permission.

“That’s a good idea. I’ll make sure the boys stay occupied until you’re ready for them.” Alfred’s statement caused a slightly panicked expression to appear on Bruce’s face. The older man just pinned him with a stern look. “You’ll have Miss Kyle to act as a buffer. Not to mention Miss Marinette is far less feral than most of your children.”

“I said I’d have the kitchen redone however you wish. It was due for a remodel anyway.” Alfred just glared at him before making his way to the elevator. 

“Honestly Bruce, he was only gone for a few days and that kitchen turned into a warzone. I still want to know how Jason managed to set the fridge on fire.” Selina’s amusement brought a glare from Bruce and given the way his posture stiffened Alfred heard her too. Marinette couldn’t wait to hear that story.


	16. Chapter 16

Marinette could only describe the elevator ride up to Chloe’s suite as tense. Bruce was obviously uncomfortable around her and it probably didn’t help that Kagami spent the entire time studying him, or that Selina was apparently just there to help him make an idiot of himself. That twist had been a bit of a shock for all of them but honestly she thought it would make things easier overall. Then you had Cass. She was obviously uncomfortable around so many strangers and kept edging closer to Bruce during the ride. She was glad there was a strong bond between them, but it worried her considering she was about to ask Cass to stay in Paris. Marinette was brought out of her thoughts by her twin making a strangled noise next to her.

“Chloe! What did you say?” It had to have been bad given the embarrassment that seemed to be pouring out of Cass as she looked ready to melt into the wall. The smirk on Chloe’s face was another good indicator. She was thankful that Selina seemed to have missed what Chloe signed as well. Those two fed off each other and not in a good way most of the time.

“I was just welcoming her to Paris and offering to help her with anything she needs while she’s here.” That was a half truth at best.

“Honestly Chloe, don’t you think hitting on your best friend’s twin is a bit-” Luka cut off as Chloe leveled him with a glare.

“Given that you’re dating two girls who look like they could be sisters I don’t think you have the high ground in this argument.” Luka’s face turned beet red and Marinette had to struggle not to laugh. He really needed to learn not to one up Chloe. It never went well for him.

“She does have a point.” Kagami’s tease seemed to blind side him for some reason and he had the most betrayed look on his face. Marinette could only shake her head. Then she saw Bruce frown at him and Luka panicked.

“But that has nothing to do with why we’re dating!” Bruce continued to glower at him while Chloe just rolled her eyes.

“Of course it doesn’t. Just like me hitting on Cass has nothing to do with her being Mari’s twin. She’s cute.” Cass just stared at the other girl like she’d lost her mind. Luckily, the elevator opened allowing them to escape for the moment. Given the size of Chloe’s penthouse, they would be able to separate at least.

“Why don’t you all help Chloe organize and pack while I talk to Bruce and Cass.” Selina actually pouted at her.

“How exactly do you two know each other?” Bruce’s question brought a smirk to Selina’s face.

“Wouldn’t you like to know.” Marinette just rolled her eyes. Why was she always the adult in the room?

“I caught her in the middle of robbing the Louvre and made her return what she was stealing.” Bruce’s expression went blank. Great, she broke the man.

“You’re just intent on ruining all my fun aren’t you? Don’t steal this. Don’t hurt peoples’ feelings. Don’t act all mysterious. Honestly, you’re a teenager, live a little.” Marinette rubbed her temples to try and stave off the impending headache. As much as she appreciated Selina’s levity most of the time, she didn’t have the energy right now.

“I’ll be a teenager when I’m not the one standing between Paris and a magic wielding narcissist.” Bruce and Cass looked confused but all the others were staring at her like she’d lost her mind and she let out a frustrated breath before pointing at Cass. “She is my black cat. They need to know what’s going on so she can remain in Paris. Even if I didn’t feel like we’re running out of time it’s only fair given I already know their secret.”

“What secret?” Bruce, Chloe, and Kagami voiced the question at the same time and Selina just started howling with laughter.

“Will you four please just go so I can talk to them? I’ll explain what I can later.” Selina finally took pity on her and herded the other’s into Chloe’s bedroom even though none of them were happy about it. When she looked back at the other Bruce was glaring at her but Cass just seemed concerned.

“What secret?” This was not how she wanted this conversation to go. Honestly she’d hoped Alfred had told him that at least.

“You’re Batman.” Before he could protest Cass spoke up.

“She knows. Not guessing.” He actually started swearing in several languages, some she’d have to look up later.

“It’s bad enough dealing with Selina being the soul of indiscretion and Dick with his idiotic ‘the butts match’ garbage. Now I have Alfred outing me without even discussing it with me first.”

“It wasn’t his fault. We were talking about the League of Assassins and I put the pieces together. He had no way of knowing that trying to explain who my mother was would backfire that badly since he had no idea I’d already dealt with Talia and Ra’s.” Neither seemed to know how to react to that but Marinette could feel how concerned Cass was and pulled her into a hug. “I survived, and they know better than to come near Paris ever again.”

“If you didn’t know about your mother why do you know those two?” His exasperated tone was the same one she used when everything just kept piling up on her and she offered him a commiserating smile.

“They came to take something from me, or rather from Paris’ Heroes. A mistake they won’t be repeating given that I have the ability to destroy the Lazarus Pits.”


End file.
